This invention relates generally to golf clubs and, in particular, to a golf putter head and a method of making a golf putter head.
Putting a golf ball is a highly individual skill with many types of putters used by golfers to suit their individual preferences. The feel and appearance of putters vary considerably and may affect a golfer""s results when putting. Putter heads have progressed from a simple blade-shaped design to sophisticated designs which include special weight distribution to improve performance.
It is well known that weight distribution in a putter head affects the tendency of the putter head to rotate about its center of gravity when impacting a golf ball at locations spaced from the center of gravity. In order to reduce the tendency for such putter head rotation, weight is added in heel and toe portions of the putter head to increase the moment of inertia. In many instances, the desired heel-to-toe weight distribution is achieved by making the putter heads with enlarged mass concentrations in the heel and toe portions thereof Examples of putter heads which are made with such heel-to-toe weight distribution are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,226,654 and 5,292,128 to Karsten Solheim. In other instances, the desired heel-to-toe weight distribution is achieved by inserting separate weight members in the heel and toe portions of a putter head. U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,144 to R. Stormon discloses a putter head formed with a downwardly opening cavity and blind bores extending upwardly into heel and toe portions of the putter head. Weights are placed in the blind bores and retained by a plate secured by screws to close the downwardly opening cavity. U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,841 to C. Silvestro discloses a polyurethane putter head formed with rearwardly opening heel and toe chambers extending normally and rearwardly from the ball striking face. Weight members are placed in the heel and toe chambers, and plugs are held in these chambers by means of a suitable adhesive.
Traditionally, putter heads have been made entirely of metal but current trends include making putter heads with face inserts formed of materials which provide softer feel than metal. The usual method of making a putter head with a face insert is to form a metal head with a cavity in the ball striking face and then to fill that cavity with the desired insert. Two different methods have been used to affix the insert within the cavity. The first method is to form the insert as a separately molded piece and then use a suitable adhesive or mechanical fasteners to hold the insert in the cavity. The second method includes molding of the face insert within the cavity. After the insert has cured, the entire front face of the putter head including the insert is finished with a milling machine to provide a flat surface extending between the heel and toe portions of the putter head.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a golf putter head includes a body formed of metal having a heel, a toe and a front face. The body is formed with a pair of lateral cavities in the front face. The lateral cavities are spaced apart with one of the lateral cavities located adjacent the heel of the body, and the other lateral cavity located adjacent the toe of the body. The body has a pair of blind bores with one of the blind bores formed in each of the lateral cavities extending into the body in a direction generally perpendicular to the front face. The golf putter head also includes a pair of weight members with one weight member disposed in each of the blind bores. Non-metallic material is disposed in the lateral cavities in the body forming inserts in the lateral cavities for retaining the weight members in the blind bores. The body may also be formed with a central cavity in the front face. The lateral cavities are disposed at opposite ends of the central cavity. Further non-metallic material is disposed in the central cavity forming another insert in the central cavity arranged for impacting a golf ball. The non-metallic material in the central cavity and the lateral cavities may be polyurethane. The body of the golf putter head may also include partition walls separating the lateral cavities from the central cavity.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a golf putter head includes a body formed of metal having a heel, a toe and a front face. The body has an elongated cavity in the front face extending from the heel to the toe. A pair of blind bores is formed in the elongated cavity and extends into the body in a direction generally perpendicular to the front face. One of the blind bores is located adjacent the heel of the body and the other blind bore is located adjacent the toe of the body. The golf putter head further includes a pair of weight members with one weight member disposed in each of the pair of blind bores. Non-metallic material in the elongated cavity forms insert means in the elongated cavity arranged for striking a golf ball and for retaining the weight members in the blind bores.
The present invention further provides a method of making a golf putter head including the step of forming a body of metal with a heel, a toe, a front face with cavity means extending from proximate the heel to proximate the toe, and a pair of blind bores located adjacent opposite ends of the cavity means. The method also includes the steps of inserting one of a pair of weight members in each of the blind bores, filling the cavity means with non-metallic material to form insert means arranged for impacting a golf ball and to retain the weight members in the blind bores, and finishing the front face of the body including the insert means to provide a flat surface extending between the heel and the toe of the body. The cavity means provided in the forming step may comprise a central cavity, and a pair of lateral cavities located adjacent opposite ends of the central cavity and separated from the central cavity by partition walls. One of the blind bores will be formed in each of the lateral cavities.